Breaking the News
by Tonkswyrda
Summary: Tonks had something she really should tell Remus... but she doesnt want to, considering how he freaked out last time. AU. post-DH.


Tonks is sitting in the hallway closet at eleven at night, half waiting for Remus to come home and find her, and half hoping that he'll walk past, and assume she's still at work. Voldemort has been dead for a year and a half now, but there's still so much left over that needs to be dealt with, so it's a plausible excuse. Remus has been working late all week- one of the first things Kingsley did when he became Minister for Magic was to scrap a lot of the anti-werewolf laws, and create a Werewolf Defence Agency, which Remus has been working for since it was opened. Usually the late nights bother her, but she's been avoiding him for the past few days, so she doesn't mind.

The front door opens, and his weary voice quietly calls her name. She doesn't respond; just moves further back into the closet. But then she knocks something, which makes a huge thump as a bag full of Teddy's old clothes falls on her head.

The closet door opens, and he's standing over her, wand in hand, squinting under the bright light from the single bulb.

"Any particular reason you're sitting in the closet, instead of the bed?" He asks, looking more than slightly confused.

She shrugs in response, folding tiny jumpers and onesies and putting them back in the bag. Shaking his head, he sits down and joins her. Tonks is determinedly not looking at him. She's unsure, even now, of how he'll react to the news- especially given that his response last time was anything but positive.

"You okay?" he asks quietly. "You look... strained."

"Fine." Her voice is higher than usual, and she knows that he notices. "Just work stress, you know. I'm fine."

He raises his eyebrows, but doesn't say anything. Instead, he joins her packing away the clothes.

"He's grown fast, hasn't he?"

She nods absentmindedly, sighing. She really should tell him...

"Dora..." he takes the t-shirt out of her hands, replacing it with his own. "Please. What's wrong?"

"I... I just..." she pulls her hands out of his, biting her lip. "Okay... but I don't want you to overreact again. I don't want you to... Not like last time."

Realisation dawns on his face. "Are you pregnant?" he asks, mouth barely moving. Looking at the peeling wallpaper, she nods.

"But that's FANTASTIC!"

She looks up, surprised. "Fantastic?" she repeats, watching as he stands in the cramped space.

"Yes! Fantastic! You-" he pauses. "You thought I might leave again, didn't you?"

"I thought you might." She mumbles. "Last time you were just so... angry about it."

"Dora... last time we were in the middle of a war! We'd been married not even a month, and I... I was scared. I didn't know what would happen, if he would be... but he's not. So I'm not worried this time! Alright?"

"Promise you're not going to freak at a later date?" this isn't what she expected, but it's a hundred times better. She needn't have been so worried.

"I swear it." He pulls her to her feet, and she smiles.

"Good."

"Very good!" he says, grinning like an idiot. Then- "How long have you known? How far along are you?"

"Only a few days. And about six weeks, apparently."

"Six weeks... that's too early to tell everyone, isn't it? How much longer should we wait to tell Harry he's got another god child?

She rolls her eyes, laughing. "Oh, just go then! I swear, you're like a little kid in a candy store."

Remus is still grinning like a maniac. "Oh no. I'm much worse than that! Do you want to come? I want to get this out. I'm so excited! This is amazing!"

"No. We still have another child to take care of, remember?" laughing, she kisses him lightly. "You're insane. Have fun."

"Will do." He runs for the door, before skidding and turning back into the closet. "I did tell you I love you, right?"

She shakes her head, grinning. "If you're going, GO!"

"Right. Right. I'm going." Cupping her face, he kisses her. "See you soon, love."

"Yeah. Soon."

Smirking, Tonks watches him run down the path, practically jumping for joy. Right now, she's glad that he's taking it so well. She's happy to have a proper family like everyone else. But she's not sure if she could have married anyone more insane.


End file.
